Sacramento Kings Pistol 5

A breakdown of one of the Kings & NBA's go-to offensive actions.

Recently on NBA Today both Fox and Sabonis broke down one of the Kings’ plays “Pistol 5.” This play isn’t new, in fact, this basic action has a deep history but we are going to focus on the origins from the early 2000s all the way until this season.

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YouTube Breakdown

Fox & Sabonis Full Breakdown

Sacramento Kings Pistol 5 Breakdown

Here we can see the playcall signal for “Pistol 5” a signal from Spoelstra and Fox/Mike Brown.

The first thing to take note of is the position of Sabonis, free throw line extended and essentially in between the 3 point line and free throw line.

Fox will initially look to throw it ahead to Sabonis and then go into multiple reads off it. The first will be to look for a hand off back to Fox.

On the drive sometimes the opposite wing will look to cut into space when the defense helps - especially on the baseline drive.

If the defense overplays toward the ballside, then the backdoor cut option is open.

As Fox cuts toward the ball if Sabonis doesn’t like the read then he can pull it and keep it.

If any help comes off any of the shooters spaced, then it is an easy read for a kick for Sabonis on the keep and drive.

If the quick go off the keep is not there then he can go back to Fox if he sits in the strongside corner.

Or if the defense helps in the gap he can turn it into a hand off to the next player. Here his defender Sengun is caught so low going under the hand off into a ballscreen has no coverage.

When Sabonis keeps it initially he can then “Play The Other Way” and look for the next hand off and continue from there.

If Fox cuts inside and is denied, then he can set an “Under” ballscreen for Sabonis - one of the toughest actions to guard.

The Kings can also flow into this action organically in their offense without calling it by flashing Sabonis after initial actions or even with him bringing the ball up the floor.

After their “Strong Boston” action they can go right into all of the same reads on the side of the floor.

One of the two basic counter reads if the initial pass is denied is to just use it as a ballscreen between the two players.

Since NBA teams know all of the calls, Fox can reject or go away from the initial pass ahead or screen if denied and drive into the lane with the same spacing keeping the defense spread.

D’Antoni & Early Signs

While not run as a set originally, in the early years of the 2003-2007 Phoenix Suns, they would look to run this action after some initial action such as a pindown or movement with the big flashing.

I found a similar concept to the “Pistol 5 Strong” from a scouting notebook in 2004 on the Suns as well out of 5-Out.

Another example of “Pistol” action out of Horns, a set the 2018-19 Jazz popularized.

Portland Trail Blazers Pistol 5 (2015-16)

The first example I found of this when I started to watch film was from the Trail Blazers in 2017 for Dame. They would pass it ahead to a player like Plumlee and then look for Dame to read and react off the basic action.

Then they ran this, they would pair it with a stagger screen opposite - keep this in mind for the counters in the future.

Atlanta Hawks Pistol 5 (2016-17)

The Atlanta Hawks under Budenholzer would call this “Pistol 5” but use it only as a step up ballscreen empty with the 5 man seting it.

Boston Celtics Pistol 5 Strong Boston (2016-17)

The Boston Celtics under Brad Stevens used this Pistol 5 action to setup a stagger screen opposite, intentionally curling the first player.

This is also the origin of why I call the stagger action with the first player curling and then the second screener coming off for a shot “Boston.”

Charlotte Hornets Pistol 5 Strong (2016-17)

In 2016-17 the Hornets ran this action but used a normal stagger screen to free up shooters. Side Note: this Hornets lineup was from 6 seasons ago - the game is a different sport now!

Golden State Warriors Pistol 5 Strong (2017-18)

This set became next level when the Warriors added it to their playbook with KD handling it and then having Steph/Klay in the “Boston” action.

New Orleans Pelicans Pistol 5 Keep Spread (2017-18)

With AD on the Pelicans they had him keep it and then throw it to the middle and then ballscreen.

Toronto Raptors Pistol 5 Split Chicago (2017-18)

In the playoffs the Raptors used this as an ATO to throw it to the big and then screen up for a downhill hand off.

Bulls/Knicks/Mavs/Pelicans/Suns/Warriors Pistol 5 Strong (2018-19)

I am not going to show all of these below, but just know that EVERYONE basically stole the Pistol 5 Strong set for the 2018-19 season.

Miami Heat Pistol 5 (2018-19)

With Bam’s arrival as a reliable playmaker at the 5, the Heat started to run this action more than anyone else and really popularized it for the mainstream NBA playbook. The Heat ran this so much the number of teams running this jumped from 3 to 14 the next season.

Note: The bubble might have helped with 3 months for NBA teams to study & improve ofcourse as well.

Denver Nuggets Pistol 5 Keep STS (2018-19)

The Nuggets use the Pistol 5 as an entry on the wing for a cross screen into the post, then a backscreen/downscreen special for Jamal Murray.

Sacramento Kings Pistol 5 Keep Gut (2018-19)

Running some basic Pistol 5 action under Joerger, most of them were after time out counters as seen here with the big keeping it and flowing into Gut dribble hand off action.

New Orleans Pelicans Pistol 5 Keep Spain (2018-19)

The Pelicans added this counter next season to have the player opposite fill inside for “Spain” ballscreen action.

Philadelphia 76ers 12 Pop Pistol 5 (2017-19)

Perhaps the best set the 76ers ran under Brett Brown, they would have JJ Redick set the ballscreen for Simmons. He intentionally ghosts it to pop to the 3 point line and then flows into Pistol 5 action with Embiid.

Utah Jazz Horns Pistol (2018-19)

The Jazz started to incorporate the quick hand back action out of Horns, something that was devastating for teams that didn’t switch.

Boston Celtics Pistol 5 STS (2019-20)